Supporting LGBTQIA+

Summary

Reasons why people need to show support, how, and statistics that prove it helps.

Imagine this; You are at a school. Some of the kids are LGBT. The ones who are not, feel more connected and cared about in your school than your LGBT classmates. Perhaps you don’t even know they are LGBT. Perhaps they don’t even know that they are. They could be anybody. And they feel like they don’t belong. Would you want to help them? How could you even help them if you don’t know who they are? This is why l want to have a place for kids in schools to be themselves and be around other people like them.

As someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, I know that it is very easy to feel alone and not cared for. It doesn't help that some people have never heard of the LGBTQ+ world, and they have never been taught that it is ok to be different. If you go online you can see people being homophobic. Some of them may have been taught that it is wrong by someone, or maybe some just don't know enough to realize that it isn't wrong. I come from a school that already has a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), and it has helped me because I knew that the people in my school accepted me.

I think that every school should have a safe place meant for LGBT students. Studies have shown that schools with a GSA have lower bullying rates, less homophobic comments, and higher academic performance. Overall, GSAs are a proven and effective way to create a more positive school climate for the students. If schools can show support, the students will be more focused and happy, which will help with their wellbeing and future academic opportunities. It can also help if parents support their kids. There are studies that prove kids who do not have accepting parents have higher rates of depression and anxiety. Being supported by anybody could help any LGBT member have higher self-esteem and confidence.

People could do something as little as putting a pride flag outside and it could help more than you know. Every kid deserves to live a life in which they are safe and happy. Every kid has the right to ask for happiness, and they all have the right to receive that. So why don’t you help give it to them?